Etienne: Romance with BITE (League of Guardians Book 2)

by V. A. Dold

  “Excellent idea. I will talk it over with Carolyn and let all of them know.”

  “One of us will have to keep an eye on them, make sure they don’t accidentally hurt one another.”

  “I’ll give the men the heads up. They all take turns in the sparring room and can help us monitor their training.”

  “Good. I will leave it up to you then. After I talk with Willa, I will let you know which house I relocate her to. Right now, I need to take care of the bodies.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  Before Etienne could retort, Darius was gone.

  Etienne scowled at the three bloody, beheaded bodies laid out in a row. With a snap of his fingers, blue flames engulfed the remains, and a minute later, all that remained were three piles of ash. He waved his hand and a gust of wind picked up the ash in a mini tornado and carried it away.

  He wiped his hands as if he’d soiled them and headed for Willa. How would she react to his decree that she move to one of his houses? Would she be excited or refuse to budge? He needed to choose his words wisely.

  Willa had propped the security gate open for him. He smiled as he opened the screen and stopped just inside to drink his woman in. His muierimei was thoughtful as always. Taking care of others when she needed care herself.

  She jumped up from the couch and rushed into his arms. “Hold me,” she said as she laid her head against his chest.

  He brushed his cheek against the silk of her hair. “Always.” He was finally able to draw a full breath. He held her, wrapped safely in his arms until she raised her face to look at him.

  “Is it over? Are all the vampires who were stalking me dead?” she asked with a slight quaver in her voice.

  “No. They were operating under orders from someone else. Until I find out who is behind this, I want you to stay at one of my houses. You will be safe. No one will know where to find you.”

  Willa chewed her lip, clearly thinking it over. “Shadow would have to go with me. Can you handle cat hair all over your house?”

  Chapter Eleven

  Etienne tucked one finger under Willa’s chin to lift her face from his chest. “As long as it is your cat, I will love it. I still haven’t given you a tour of the Lalaurie house. Would you like to stay there or do you prefer the bayou estate?”

  “Do you mean it? I could actually live in the Lalaurie house?”

  “Absolutely. It used to be my main residence. I still keep a suite there.”

  “Then Lalaurie it is. Give me a little time to pack.”

  “Hold on. We have things to talk about.”

  “All right. What did I do now?”

  “You did the second exchange with me.”

  She gave him a side eye look. “Oh.” After a moment she shrugged. “You lost me.”

  “First of all. Remember when I told you about the changes you would experience after each exchange?”

  “Yes?”

  “Have you tried to handle anything breakable?”

  “Maybe?”

  “You are much stronger than you used to be and will need to exercise extreme care when handling Shadow or anything breakable. Before you grasp anything, lay your hand or fingers on it and slowly close them, applying as little pressure as possible. You will be shocked at how easily you can crush things when all you think you are doing is touching it.”

  Willa huffed and rolled her eyes. “No wonder the glass broke when I tried to take it out of the cupboard. I forgot about the whole strength thing.”

  Etienne pulled a small velvet bag from his pocket. “Also, you will need to wear this daylight ring if you go outside during the day.” He dumped a very basic ring out of the bag. A plain gold band with a bezel set sunstone.

  Willa slipped it on her finger and held out her hand to admire it. “The stone is very pretty. Anything else?”

  “No, that is all for now. That ring is only temporary. I have another in mind for you. But you will need one until then.”

  “Oh, okay. So, should I start packing then?”

  “Yes. Now we pack.”

  His arms felt empty the instant she pulled away and rushed to pack clothes and cat supplies. He stroked Shadow’s warm sleeping form and glanced around the living room. “What can I do to help?”

  “There are plastic bags for the cat food in the kitchen and shopping bags in the broom closet to put everything in. You could pack up Shadow’s food and dishes,” she called back from the bedroom.

  Etienne scratched Shadow behind the ear, then went to handle his assigned task. It only took minutes to complete, and he found himself at a loss for things to do again. Then it occurred to him that the cat needed a litter box. He hunted around the apartment and found it tucked away in the bathroom. With that packed, he headed for the bedroom to see how Willa was coming.

  She glanced up from the shirts she was folding when he walked in. “I’m almost finished. I just need to grab a few things from the bathroom, and I will be ready to go. Shadow’s cat carrier is in my closet. Do you think you could load him into it?”

  He gave her a smile and nodded. “Of course.” He had no idea what he was in for.

  The instant he opened the carrier’s door, Shadow’s head popped up, and he hissed. When he took a step toward the cat, Shadow’s fur rose to make him look twice his size. He took another step, and a feral growl rumbled in warning. If he wasn’t careful, the damn cat might take his hand off. How did a twenty-pound feline morph into a tiger at the sight of a plastic box?

  Before Etienne could grab him, the cat rushed behind the couch. Who knew a portly feline could move so fast. Etienne glanced into the crack between the couch and the wall. How had the cat fit through that tiny space? He had a new appreciation for Willa’s pet. Shadow had a few tricks in his bag.

  The cat was nowhere in sight. He must have gone underneath. There was no option but to move the furniture and pull the disgruntled beast out. He shoved the couch to the center of the room, but the cat didn’t appear. Getting down on his hands and knees, he looked under the couch. Glowing yellow eyes glared back at him. When he reached for the cat, Shadow hissed and slashed him with his claws.

  “Damn it!” Etienne bellowed. He turned to look behind him when he heard a heavy sigh.

  “Is he under the couch again?”

  Etienne sat back on his butt holding his bloodied hand. “Yes, and he is reluctant to come out.”

  “Of course, he is. I’m sorry. I should have warned you about his hatred of the carrier.” She took his hand and tsk’d at the angry scratches. “Are you all right?”

  He got to his feet and went to the kitchen to wash the wound. “I am fine.”

  “Do you need a Band-Aid?” Then she watched him lick the wound closed and rolled her eyes. “Forget I asked that.”

  He gave her a wink, then watched to see what she was up to. Willa walked to a cupboard and pulled out a pouch of kitty treats. “Watch and learn,” she said with a grin. Then she walked to the carrier and gave the pouch a shake. Shadow shot out from under the couch like a bullet from a gun.

  Meow, meow, meow. Shadow danced around her legs trying to bat the pouch out of her hand.

  Willa tossed a few treats into the back of the carrier. As soon as Shadow ran in, she slammed the door shut before the cat could escape the trap. She dropped the treats into the cat bag and grinned. “That’s how it’s done.”

  Etienne bowed to her prowess. “You’re a cat whisperer like no other.”

  Willa giggled and gave him a curtsy. “Anytime you have to tangle with a cat, I’ll gladly save you from the scary beastie.”

  He grinned back and played along. “Thank goodness. Cats are terrifying. Are you ready to go?”

  “I think so. If I forgot anything, I can always come back for it.”

  “If you need to return, let me know. I’ll come with you. The vampires will watch the apartment waiting for another chance at you.”

  “Okay.”

  Etienne started them toward his car when she pu
lled back. He turned to see what the problem was.

  “I should drive my car to your place. I’ll need it to get around.”

  “It’s not safe for you to wander around alone. If you need to go anywhere, you will need to have myself or one of my men with you.”

  “And I can do that in my car,” she insisted. “I won’t be a prisoner, Etie.”

  He glanced at her tiny excuse for a car and sighed. “Fine. Follow me and stay close. Don’t let cars cut you off or get between us. When we get there, pull your car into the garage next to mine.”

  She grinned and gave him a salute. “Yes, sir.”

  He scowled at her lack of seriousness. But then what did he expect? She wasn’t accustomed to being stalked by vampires and had no idea how much danger she was in. He would have to make sure someone was with her at all times.

  The drive across town took less time than Willa expected. Traffic had been light and as if by magic, every light was green. Wiggling with excitement, she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as they waited for the garage doors to trundle open.

  She leaned forward and peered through the bug-splattered windshield of her car. A low whistle blew from her lips as she took in the opulence of the garage at Lalaurie house. She figured a home as famous as this one would be grand, but who put chandeliers in their garage? Etie did apparently.

  “Nice,” she said as she got out of her car. “A bit over the top but very nice.”

  Etienne rolled his eyes, then put a hand at the small of her back as they crossed the private courtyard. He glanced at the statuary and elaborate fountain and rolled his eyes again. “I made the mistake of letting one of my people decorate the entire house. Angelika went to school for interior design and claimed that she needed to complete a project for her final grade. I fell for the contrived story and now have ridiculous lighting in my garage and naked statues in my garden. I would remove them, but it would hurt her feelings.”

  Willa took his arm and snuggled against him. “I knew you were a big softy.”

  Etie shushed her. “I have a reputation to protect.”

  Willa made a show of looking at the chandeliers again. “Of course, you do.”

  He shook his head and sighed. “Come on. I’ll give you a tour and show you where you can put your things.”

  Willa tingled all over. She was about to see the inside of Lalaurie house, one of the most mysterious, supposedly haunted, houses in New Orleans.

  Etie had no sooner closed the door behind them when the butler she’d met at the bayou estate walked into the hallway to greet them.

  “Good evening, my lord.” Then he turned and bowed to her. “My lady.”

  Etienne allowed the butler to take Willa’s bag from his hand. “Good evening, Baptiste. I’m sure you remember Willa.”

  “Yes, sir.” Baptiste inclined his head and smiled at her. “I most certainly do.” Then he looked back at Etienne. “Would your lordship and lady care for refreshments?”

  Etie deferred to her.

  “I’m fine.”

  “No, thank you, Baptiste.”

  The butler inclined his head to them. “Very good. Where should I deposit the ladies bags?”

  “In my suite.”

  The butler inclined his head to them one last time. “Very good.”

  Willa watched Baptiste disappear up the staircase before she spoke again. “Is he a vampire, too?”

  “Yes. He has been my personal valet my entire life. I offered to pay for any education he cared to explore, but he is determined to take care of me.”

  Etienne led her down the long central hallway to a large room on the right. “I’ll show you around so you can come back and inspect each room at your leisure when you have time. This is the formal dining room. Though we rarely utilize it.”

  Willa stared at the opulent room. “Wow.”

  “Across the hall is the living room slash library. You’ll find that other than the kitchen, it’s the most used room in the house.”

  She stood in the center of the library and slowly spun in a circle. Every wall was lined from floor to ceiling with bookshelves. Wall-to-wall books and oversized leather furniture to lounge on. She was in heaven. The only exception was a large stone fireplace with a big discolored rectangle above it. Something had hung there for a long time. “So, where is everyone now?”

  “Patrolling the Quarter. They’ll return in a few hours.”

  She wandered around the room looking at everything until Etienne’s chuckle reminded her there was more to see.

  “Let me show you where the kitchen is.”

  Willa eyed the wide curving staircase at the far end of the foyer. The closer they got, the more she itched to run up them and see what the second level had to offer. The entire house was decorated in upscale period finishes and furnishings, just the way she would have done it. Well, except for the chandeliers in the garage.

  The house was so quiet, their footsteps echoed off the walls. The sound of feet on tile made her think of a pack of children running down the hall. She found herself picturing a little dark-haired boy and blond girl running wild, laughing and playing games. She glanced up at Etienne, afraid her thoughts somehow showed on her face. Relief washed over her. He was looking the other direction.

  Willa stopped short when she saw the kitchen. She was both relieved and disappointed in equal measures. Everything was state of the art. White modern cabinets with silver knobs were offset by black marble countertops. At the far end was a family sized breakfast table in front of floor-to-ceiling windows. She glanced at the ceramic tile floor, then up at the can lights. Though it was a chef’s wet dream, nothing in the room matched the grandeur of the house.

  She felt Etie squeeze her hand and raised her eyes to his.

  “You have a strange expression on your face.”

  She sighed. “I know it’s stupid to want the kitchen to reflect the era of the home, but I wish it did. If Angelika would like to make it look more authentic, I know of a few places to get modern appliances that look period correct. At least they would look like appliances that would have been installed around nineteen hundred.

  “I’m sure the kitchen had wood-burning ovens when it was built in eighteen thirty-four, but that wouldn’t work for the people living here today. I also have people who could make proper cabinets. But of course, that’s up to you.”

  He took a long look at the kitchen. “I’ll think about it.”

  She nodded and left it at that.

  “The upper two floors are bedrooms and bathrooms. I want you to feel at home here. The only area that is off limits is the basement.”

  “Wait. There’s a basement? That’s pretty rare in the French Quarter.”

  “Normally it is. When the house was built, I had the local witch coven spell the entire block to hold the groundwater at bay.”

  “The entire block?” She felt like a parrot repeating everything he said.

  “Yes. I own the square block. My vampire family of New Orleans live in the homes and buildings as well as run the businesses.”

  “Wow.” She let that sink in, then frowned. “Why is the basement off limits?”

  “We use it as an encouragement center to inspire people to tell us what we need to know.”

  Willa swallowed hard. “I don’t think I need to know more about that.”

  “Good, because I don’t want you to know any more than that. Come on. I’ll show you where we are staying and give you a little time to unpack and get Shadow settled.”

  Even though the idea of what Etie did downstairs gave her the willies, knowing the basement was off limits made her want to immediately run down there and check it out. Glancing around for the basement door, she took his proffered hand and followed him up the stairs.

  The bedrooms were beyond words. Willa tried to keep her oohing and aahing to a minimum and failed. As she followed Etie to the far end of the second floor, she glanced into bedroom after bedroom. Some were bright and white with dainty furni
shings, tapestry curtains, and silk bedspreads. Others were dark with rich fabrics and heavy furniture. Some had old-fashioned wardrobes while others had closets. She frowned when she realized she hadn’t seen a single bathroom.

  Before she could ask, Etie offered, “When Angelika planned the remodel, each bedroom was designed as a suite with a private bath.”

  Though it wasn’t true to the history of the house, she had to approve of the choices made. “That makes sense. With so many people sharing a house, it would give each person a sense of private space.”

  “That’s what she said when I approved the plans. This is my suite,” he said as they reached the last door at the far end of the hallway.

  He pushed the door open and stood aside for her to lead the way.

  Willa stepped across the threshold and gasped. Etie’s suite was a showcase. Dark hardwood floors went perfectly with the royal purple and navy-blue silk wallpaper. The heavy curtains matched the wallpaper to perfection and must have been designed to be paired together. A granite fireplace had mini pillars supporting the mantle and above it hung a huge mirror with an ornate gold frame. A matching pair of period chairs flanked the fireplace and the most beautiful chandelier she’d ever seen cast a soft golden glow over everything. The massive four-postered king-sized bed opposite the fireplace made her gasp again. She walked to it and ran a finger over the magnificent piece.

  “Do you like it?” Etienne asked from the doorway.

  “I love it. I’m going to feel like a princess in this bed.”

  He grinned at her. “More like a queen. I’m the king of the vampires after all.” He picked up one of her bags and placed in on the bed. “You can put your clothes in the armoire, and the bath is through there,” he said, nodding at a door she hadn’t paid much attention to.

  Willa eyed the armoire. Glanced at her bags. “I’m not sure there will be room for both of us in that. I have a lot more clothing than a woman of the eighteen hundreds.”

  “I’ve already purchased a matching armoire from Keil’s. It will be delivered in a few hours. Come and find me in the library when you’re done.” He kissed her until she was breathless and left her to unpack.